


Surf, Sand, and Four-Leaf Clovers

by cathrheas



Series: Commissions [16]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Beach Sex, M/M, Praise Kink, Public Hand Jobs, Top Komaeda Nagito, happy late birthday weird boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:09:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23919484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathrheas/pseuds/cathrheas
Summary: Hinata convinces Komaeda to be "normal" for a bit, but there are some parts of Komaeda that Hinata starts to miss.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito
Series: Commissions [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1753813
Comments: 9
Kudos: 281





	Surf, Sand, and Four-Leaf Clovers

**Author's Note:**

> A commission for Noble! Feel free to check out [my Twitter](https://twitter.com/cathrheas)!

Every morning, Hinata stared at the ceiling of his room. It was surreal to think that he considered it “his” room. It had nothing that indicated it was his besides the nameplate out front. His room at home had some personal artifacts—some posters, a few figurines, generic photos. As his so-called classmates scrambled around the island to find little things to put in their rooms to make it feel like some semblance of home, he realized that he had nothing. Even if he put up every little thing that he had in his room back home, he would still have nothing to show that it was his.

If anything, the nameplate made his room at Jabberwock Island  _ better _ than the room at home. At least the nameplate made him recognizable.

Then, if someone hadn’t interrupted him, he’d start to contemplate his talent. Mioda had guitars and piercings, Koizumi had her camera slung around her neck, Kuzuryu had a pinstripe suit—they all had something indicative of their talent, something that made you look at them and go, “of course, that’s an Ultimate”. Hinata would look over his clothes, look at his face in the mirror for long, long minutes, trying to figure out what he had.

Nothing. A nondescript face, a cotton white shirt, a tie with a design he couldn’t quite place.

Nothing.

He’d distract himself from it. There’s no way of knowing, he would decide. He lost his memory for a reason. Maybe he was something so powerful that Monokuma  _ couldn’t _ let him remember. Besides, there was Komaeda, and Nidai, and Sonia, even. Just looking at them, you couldn’t guess what they were. 

_ Besides...I have better things to worry about. _

Keeping that in mind, he’d get himself ready for the day. There wasn’t much in the way of entertainment on the island, but at the very least, his classmates were interesting. Not to mention—although it was perhaps a bit tasteless to think about—it’d be a lot harder for them to bring themselves to kill him if he had some sort of bond with them, right?

_ And yet, the person who’d be the first to kill someone...I can’t bring myself to talk to him without shivering. _

Hinata was about to open his door and step out when that thought hit him. Ever since the first class trial, Komaeda had been on his mind, far too often. He was sure that his other classmates were feeling much the same way, but something about the way Komaeda had interacted with him, the way he’d looked when he was tied up, the delirious grin he’d been showing off...it was burned into Hinata’s brain.

It almost wasn’t fair. To have to watch people he just met be murdered, to sentence one of them to death each time...it was already hard enough without Komaeda trying to get into his head. How was he supposed to keep going with someone like Komaeda getting in the way each time? The solution might have been to gain a better understanding of him, but that was clearly out of the question.

If Hinata kept thinking about it, his head would burst. He had to keep calm, had to keep his mind pointed towards what mattered. Despite Komaeda’s alleged commitment to the other Ultimates, it didn’t seem as if he particularly cared about what others thought of him or wanted him to do. In that case, just like his talent (or lack thereof), Komaeda was someone he should have just ignored.

_ But...even though I get chills every time I’m around him...ignoring him is still impossible. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll just get something to eat. _

At the very least, Jabberwock Island was accommodating. Good weather, a fairly nice room for him to sleep in, and good food. It was a bit harder to eat the buffets laid out after Teruteru’s passing, but there were too many subtle reminders of the lives lost on that island. Too many things that would make him go mad. Slowly, he was learning to ignore them all. He swallowed any apprehension that he might have had and entered the dining room of the hotel.

And, just as quickly, that apprehension threatened to swallow  _ him, _ when he saw Komaeda sitting alone at the table.

It was admittedly pretty cruel to keep Komaeda tied up, left at the scene of a murder. But seeing Komaeda sitting at that table, grinning like nothing was wrong...Hinata wanted nothing more than to have him tied up again. At least, then, Hinata would feel safer.

“Good morning, Hinata-kun!”

Komaeda wasn’t even eating. Why did that make things even more frightening? “Morning,” Hinata said, quietly, out of the side of his mouth. He got a plate and began to pile food on it, but it was hard to feel appetized knowing that Komaeda was undoubtedly staring him down. Sure enough, when he turned to sit at the table, Komaeda was looking at him with that same pleasant-but-sinister smile on his face.

There was no point in Hinata trying to distance himself from Komaeda. No matter what he did, Komaeda was going to find some way to interact with him. Reluctantly, Hinata sat across from Komaeda, one seat away. As expected, Komaeda moved so that they were right across from each other. “You look a little troubled, there, Hinata-kun. Still upset about Koizumi-san?” 

“...It’s nothing.” Hinata forked some eggs into his mouth, looking out at the door and waiting for someone to come in. It felt odd to hear Komaeda talk about the victims of their cruel killing game as if it were something they saw on the evening news, especially with Saionji’s grim shrine to Koizumi as a backdrop.

Komaeda sighed. “I know. It seems really bad right now...to think four of our classmates are already gone! And to think we almost lost Kuzuryu-san, too...but it’s okay! Don’t worry. I know we’ll make it through this! After all, you’re—”

“Komaeda. Please. Just...stop,” Hinata said. His body felt hot from an emotion he couldn’t place, just addressing Komaeda. “How can you be so calm about this?”

“Because I have faith in all of you. If anything, I’m happy that we’re all together here! I know I don’t deserve to see something as beautiful as the hope that you all have, but I—”

“Never mind. Forget I asked.”

Luckily for Hinata, Komaeda kept quiet for a bit. At least, he kept quiet long enough for Hinata to finish his food. It was hard to be too appreciative of silence when it didn’t last long. “Y’know, Hinata-kun...”

“What? What now...”

Komaeda looked at Hinata for a second, oddly serious. He wasn’t even sporting his snarky little smile; he was just looking at Hinata straight on, with a furrowed brow. “When we first met...you were a little concerned about not knowing your talent. But don’t worry! I have faith in you. And I know that you’re something amazing. Something so important that maybe you’re not even allowed to know!”

“H-huh? How did you...”

Komaeda tilted his head. “How did I what?”

_ I was just...I was just thinking that earlier, _ Hinata wanted to say, but his mind froze up completely until all he could think of was escape. Komaeda watching him all the while, Hinata gathered up his glassware and started for the exit of the hotel. “Never mind,” he said, his back to Komaeda. “Forget I said anything.”

“See you later, Hinata-kun,” Komaeda called out. As if they were friends. As if everything was normal.

_ This is the farthest thing from normal I’ve ever seen, _ Hinata thought. No, it couldn’t be normal. The way he felt looking at Komaeda...no. It wasn’t normal at all.

* * *

Hinata only realized when he got back to his room that him missing breakfast with the others was troublesome. Even if he’d already finished eating once the others arrived, he always stayed until someone was there to see him. Considering the circumstances, it would definitely look bad if anyone were to think he was missing. Either they would think he had gotten killed, or think he had...

_ I couldn’t kill someone. Even if Komaeda wants me to. _

Again, his thoughts circled back to Komaeda. Killing game aside, Komaeda was definitely his biggest problem, one that Hinata didn’t know how to tackle. How much profit would avoidance get him? It didn’t seem to be much. Really, Komaeda probably  _ liked _ it when Hinata ignored him.  _ Ultimates like you shouldn’t waste time on me!  _ Hinata could hear that voice, so sincere and kind but saying the worst of things.  _ Just act like I’m not here. I don’t deserve to be, anyway... _

So, avoiding him wouldn’t work. If he was being honest, leaving Komaeda to his own devices might have been the worst idea possible. As tempting as it was to avoid Komaeda at all costs, someone had to keep an eye on him, and for whatever reason, he’d taken a liking to Hinata. Even without knowing his talent.

At the thought of their earlier conversation about Hinata’s talent, Hinata flinched. He didn’t like the idea of Komaeda being anywhere near him, let alone inside of his head. When they met on the beach, Komaeda seemed attached to Hinata without a single thought, not even knowing what his talent was. Did he really think the same thing Hinata thought? That his talent was so amazing, so stunning, that it was a secret from even himself?

Maybe Hinata wanted that reassurance. Just a little.

Hinata had decided the moment he realized the situation he was in that he had to be honest with himself to stay sane, so he had to keep being honest with himself: he might have liked the reassurance. Komaeda’s twisted ideology about the battle of hope versus despair was baffling, impossible to agree with or even understand, but his love for Ultimates, no matter their talent...that was something Hinata may have enjoyed, if it included him. His other classmates, no matter how friendly, had given his lack of a recognizable talent so little thought.

But Komaeda  _ had _ thought about it, had perhaps thought about it almost as much as Hinata himself did, and came to the conclusion that Hinata was still just as important as the others. Hinata briefly recalled a discussion they’d had where Komaeda had thrown out the most random ideas for talents, stupid things, but the passion in his eyes even then said that he wouldn’t have cared even if it  _ was _ silly.

_ If my talent is dumb, or even if I don’t find it all, Komaeda will still find me interesting...? The fact that he’s cheering me on right now should make me happy, shouldn’t it? _

With that excuse in mind, Hinata resolved to spend a little more time with Komaeda. Hinata would never understand him completely—that was a fact—but maybe he’d come to understand a little  _ more. _ Then there was the issue of Komaeda being left alone. Nobody else wanted to interact with him, but someone had to do it. And, last but not least...

_ My talent...to think that someone else imagines me as something important...it feels good. I have to be honest, it feels good, even coming from him. _

That seemed to be it. After another long pondering in his room, Hinata had come to a conclusion, a completely different one from that morning. He’d have to try and talk to Komaeda again. If it got too weird or too tense, he could always back out, but he had to try again. One more time, he thought. For Komaeda, for everyone, and admittedly, for himself.

* * *

Komaeda wasn’t very hard to find. Wherever everyone was hanging out, Komaeda was not there, being the social pariah that he was. Hinata found him on the second island, sitting and reading a book in the library.

“Hey, Hinata-kun. You sure booked it earlier. I know I probably said something stupid again, but...next time, try and say bye, okay?”

Ignoring Komaeda’s odd admonishing, Hinata said, “Look, Komaeda. I’m trying to come to a consensus with you. Don’t you realize that you’re alienating the entire island?”

“Sure I do. But I know why it’s happening. Someone like me...it’s no wonder why everyone avoids me like the plague. Really, I might not even be worthy of being called a plague.”

Komaeda chuckled and shut his book, but Hinata was far from laughing. “That’s not it. Nobody avoids you because you lack talent.”  _ In that case, they might have to avoid me too, since I don’t know mine... _ “It’s because you keep saying all this weird stuff about our fate, and how strong our hope is—”

“But nothing I’ve said is untrue,” Komaeda insisted. “You know that, don’t you?”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Earlier today...when I said that your talent might be so amazing that neither of us can know it.” That again. Hinata’s stomach tightened again. The idea of Komaeda understanding him so well...it gave him a feeling that he hated. A burning sort of feeling, a warm tingling all over, like someone was watching his every move inside and out. “You were so surprised because you felt the same way, right? You were surprised by how much faith someone else had in you, but you were thinking the same thing all along. Hinata, I don’t want you to misunderstand me. I really am here to help you. My luck combined with your hope...we could be unstoppable. I’m hope’s greatest ally. Next to you and the other Ultimates, of course.”

“If you want to be our ally, then you should really start acting like an ally. Right now, you just seem like you’re trying to screw us all over. During the first trial, you—”

“You’re still misunderstanding me...” The worst part? Komaeda seemed seriously upset by Hinata not understanding his sick logic. “That was done in an attempt to be an ally to hope. And it worked! In that class trial, despite only knowing each other for a few days, you all really shined! Of course, my stupid little tricks wouldn’t get past you guys. Especially you, Hinata-kun. You really showed us your cool side. You figured me out so quickly! Maybe you’re...the Ultimate Detective? Or something like that.”

Again, Komaeda was being a distraction. Hinata wouldn’t let it work. “If you want to help us so bad,” Hinata began, trying a different approach, “then you need to do something else, something other than nearly getting us all killed.”

“‘Do something else’? What exactly would you have me do?”

“I...well...” Hinata wasn’t expecting that response. And not in that tone of voice, either. Komaeda seemed to be challenging him, almost, one eyebrow cocked and his lips threatening to shape into a smirk. “I don’t know. Just...try and make friends with everyone without being weird, I guess. That’d help.”

“Okay. I won’t give up on my goals completely, but...if you want me to try and make friends, then I’ll do that,” Komaeda said. All traces of his former expression were gone. Maybe Hinata had imagined it. “You’re the only one that’s not trying to avoid me, so I’ll have to start with you, right? I hope you don’t mind me hanging around you so much!”

Komaeda sounded sincere—but then again, he always did, despite the ridiculousness of whatever he was saying. “Nobody else will let you,” Hinata mumbled.

“Alright. We’re truly friends, now! Gosh, this is thrilling. To be friends with an Ultimate...I’m beside myself with joy! So, what should we do first?”

_ What did I do with my friends back home? Not like it’d work with Komaeda. He’s a different breed.  _ “We could just talk for a bit,” Hinata eventually suggested.

Somehow, Komaeda reverting back to his earlier state of being friendly (and almost sane) was more jarring than him acting like a nutcase. “Eh, we could, but...that’d be boring, wouldn’t it? There’s so much to do on this island! We could sift through the books here, or go feed the farm animals, or—oh! I have a great idea.”

_ He’s way too excited about this. _ “Alright, what is it?”

“You never really got to swim in the water, since Monokuma showed up. Remember?” Hinata’s stomach sank. That moment, the heavy dread he felt...Komaeda certainly hadn’t expected him to forget that, had he? “Maybe we should go back. Since things have calmed down a bit.”

Hinata wanted to argue, but Komaeda was almost right. Outside of class trials, it sometimes felt like Hinata was living a normal island life on an island vacation. Things  _ had _ calmed down, compared to Monokuma’s first appearance. “Yeah...I guess we could. I have to go get my swimming trunks, though.”

“Me too! Not like I’m wearing them already, or anything.”

“...Um, yeah. Okay. See you at the beach in twenty?”

“Right! See you, Hinata-kun.”

* * *

Komaeda was much too good at acting normal. It was scary, how quickly he went back to acting like he did before the first trial. If anything, that was scarier than the weird, obsessive rants he’d been going on. Not to mention...

_ What exactly would you have me do? _

Maybe Hinata was going insane, all of the time he’d spent on that island. Or maybe Komaeda had looked up at him just a bit too seductively, with a grin that reached his eyes. Hinata hadn’t imagined that expression. His mind couldn’t conjure up an image like that, no. It was a little worrying, knowing that they were going to the beach. Hinata knew they were just going to swim, but...

_ Is that all that I want to happen? _

Hinata froze at that thought. It was a thought that came to him quickly, urgently, as if it wanted to make itself heard before he forced it out of his mind. Still, he decided to ignore it. He would go to the beach and swim with Komaeda, and they’d be friends, just like normal teenagers would do. Nothing weird, Komaeda had said so.

Hinata considered putting a shirt on, but there wasn’t really any reason for him to. The island was warm, and he’d be taking it off to get in the water anyway. The swim shorts were school-issued, black and plain.  _ They suit me well, _ he thought, a bit sourly. 

It didn’t take him long to get ready. There was no harm in being early, he supposed, so he left out of his cabin as soon as he grabbed a towel. To his surprise, Komaeda was leaving out of his own cabin at the same time. Too many coincidences were happening between them for Hinata’s liking. 

Komaeda spotted him immediately—after all, there was only one cabin between them. “You’re early, Hinata-kun!”

“So are you,” Hinata responded. 

Komaeda had put on a shirt, so he felt a little bit self-conscious as he walked closer. And, of course, Komaeda just  _ had _ to say something. “Look at you, Hinata-kun. I almost forgot how muscular you were.”

Hinata wanted to complain, wanted to strike back, because Komaeda was  _ definitely _ being weird again—why would Hinata’s face turn red like it did if there wasn’t something weird going on? However, Komaeda had what seemed like a genuine smile on his face, like he wasn’t up to anything. “...Thanks.”

“No problem! Are you a good swimmer?”

It really was amazing, how he turned back to a normal conversation. Hinata considered pointing it out, even asking how Komaeda could be so casual despite all that he’d done and all the weird things he’d said, but he didn’t want to ruin a good thing. They walked to the beach side by side at a slow strolling pace, talking as they did. 

When they reached the main island, they passed by Nidai. He seemed the slightest bit sweaty, and Hinata could see the slightest bit of blood on his shirt.  _ Tussling with Owari again, I guess. _ “Hey! Missed you at breakfast, Hinata.”

“Sorry, I...wasn’t feeling well.”

“Well, you look great now,” Nidai roared happily. He hadn’t even looked at Komaeda before then, but he finally said, “What’s up, Komaeda?”

“Nothing much! We’re heading over to the beach.” Then, Komaeda laughed. “Well, obviously, since we’re wearing our swimsuits...”

Nidai looked at Hinata, incredulous. Of course, he’d wonder why Hinata was hanging around Komaeda, the designated pariah of the island. “Sounds fun,” he said, with a chuckle that sounded just a little bit too forced. “Say, how about I come along? Should be fun!”

He gave Hinata the slightest nod, as if to say “don’t worry, I’ve got you”. Hinata didn’t really feel endangered—perhaps he should have, but ever since Komaeda agreed to tone it down a bit, Hinata hadn’t felt scared. Hinata was about to tell Nidai that, tell him that Komaeda was agreeing to make a change, but Komaeda spoke first. “Sorry, Nidai-san. It’ll just be me and Hinata-kun today. Maybe some other time! Me, you, Hinata-kun, and all the other guys can go to the beach. That sounds fun, right?”

Again, Nidai looked surprised, but for different reasons entirely. His face curled into a smile, then, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah! Sounds like a blast. You know where to find me when you need me, then. See you guys later.”

Stunned, Hinata waved weakly as Nidai walked past them. Komaeda kept walking towards the beach, and Hinata followed. Komaeda picked up the conversation they were having before Nidai approached, but Hinata was struggling to pay attention. Finally, he interrupted Komaeda’s rambling and said, “Hey. You were pretty...good, back there. Normal.”

Komaeda hummed. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Well, yeah, but...I dunno. It’s startling. What made you decide to change? You’ve obviously had the capacity to be normal this time if you switched up so quickly.”

“You asked me to, Hinata-kun. That’s why,” Komaeda said, rather simply. “Do you...not want me to?”

“No, no no no!” Hinata quickly backtracked. “This is fine.”

“Okay! Let me know if you change your mind.”

“Oh, and...another thing. Why didn’t you want Nidai to come with us to the beach?”

“So many questions,” Komaeda sighed. “Is this how you talk to all of your friends, Hinata-kun?”

Hinata rolled his eyes. Of course, Komaeda couldn’t help being difficult, no matter how outwardly friendly he was trying to be. “Forget I asked,” Hinata said, dryly.

“Already forgotten!”

By that time, they’d arrived at the coast. Hinata looked out over the water, watching the waves roll through. Every now and again, he would imagine a blip out on the water, a ship coming to save them all. Of course, it was never anything but his imagination, but that didn’t stop him from looking. Once he’d completed his scan, he turned back to Komaeda, and saw that he was throwing his t-shirt onto the sand. Komaeda wasn’t scrawny, really, but after his earlier remark about Hinata’s chest, it was hard not to compare. He was...slimmer. That was a good way to put it.

“So, Hinata-kun.” Komaeda’s voice drew Hinata’s attention back to the situation at hand.  _ Right. I need to focus. He’ll definitely call me out if I get distracted. _ “Do you know how to swim?”

“I don’t know anything about proper form, or whatever, but I know enough not to drown.”

“Ah, really? I’d say I’m about the same. If a doggy paddle counts.”

“...Not really. Can you at least tread water? If you start sinking, I won’t save you.”

Komaeda chuckled. “Good one! Yeah, I can tread water. Not very well, though. I have an idea: I’ll put something out in the water as an endpoint for us to race to and from. I’ll put it as deep as I think I can swim. That’s fair, yeah? And safe.”

A fairly reasonable idea, coming from Komaeda. “Alright. Uh...what are we gonna use, though?”

“I can just use my shirt. I don’t really care if it gets wet.” 

Before Hinata could argue, Komaeda was picking the shirt up and walking into the water, beginning to swim when it got too deep. It was definitely a doggy paddle, but it was a fairly practiced one. He didn’t seem to struggle. He went a few yards into the water before deciding it was too deep for him to safely continue, then left the shirt there and swam back.

As the waves rolled again, Hinata watched the shirt move. “W-wait. What if it moves too far away?”

“We better get started before it does, then!”

“Yeah, I guess, but—”

“Ready, set, go!”

Komaeda took off, and after a moment of shock, Hinata ran after him. It wasn’t too hard to catch up, especially when the water got deep enough for him to really swim in. He made it to the discarded shirt before Komaeda did, then turned around and began to swim back. He heard Komaeda splashing behind him, but it was no use. He was getting closer and closer to the shore—

And then, he felt a sharp pain in his ankle.

“Damn it,” he growled. The water was shallow enough for him to stand in, so he hopped around on one foot, trying to examine his injured leg.

“Hinata-kun? Are you alright?”

Hinata looked up at the sound of his name, and saw Komaeda walking over from the shore.  _ He went and won the race when I wasn’t looking?! _ “Something bit me, I think. The pain is kinda fading now...”

Komaeda laughed, a bit derisively. “A likely story. Come on, Hinata-kun. You can’t think of a better excuse?”

“Really, I mean it.”

“Just my luck, then. Good race, though.” Komaeda smiled. Hinata didn’t think of himself as  _ competitive, _ but...nobody liked losing, right? “Maybe Tsumiki-san should look at it? I can, if you want.”

Without thinking, Hinata said, “Why not?” As he sat down in the sand, he could think of a  _ lot _ of reasons why not. Like Komaeda’s weird obsession with someone getting killed on that island, or the possibility that someone would walk by and see them doing something questionably weird, or just the mere fact that Komaeda would be  _ touching _ him.

He’d already agreed, though, and Komaeda was sitting down next to him with enthusiasm that was none too subtle. “Which leg?”

“The left one. The ankle, on the inside,” Hinata said, bringing his hand to the injured part. He was surprised to not see any marks. “Wh-what...? I don’t even see anything.”

“Are you  _ sure _ something bit you?”

“Yes! Or...probably? It was really sharp, like something...” 

“Let me take a closer look.” Hinata jumped back a bit, instinctively, when Komaeda’s hands took hold of his lower leg. One was on the inner thigh of his uninjured leg, just a little bit too close to home, and the other was cupping his calf. Awkward hand placement for ankle inspection, Hinata thought, but he was too speechless to argue. Komaeda had strangely soft hands; Hinata noticed that even though they were both dripping wet. Komaeda turned Hinata’s injured leg a little bit, looking at his ankle closely. “Doesn’t look like much is here, Hinata-kun...”

Hinata gulped. He knew there was nothing there the moment Komaeda grabbed him, yet he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Komaeda touched him with such care, such affection. Even though Hinata knew the twisted source of that affection, he couldn’t help liking it anyway. “So much for an Ultimate. Getting taken down by a crab or something isn’t very Ultimate anything.”

“Don’t get down on yourself, Hinata-kun. It’s not a lack of talent on your part. It really was just my luck, I guess,” Komaeda insisted. “You’re something amazing. I know it. Don’t let something like this get to you, okay? Just like the other Ultimates, you’ve got talent. Maybe even more than them. I know you do.” How was Hinata  _ not _ supposed to take that a certain way when Komaeda was still holding his leg like that? “Ha, sorry. I’m being weird again, aren’t I? Well, I did my best not to, but—”

“No,” Hinata said. Why couldn’t he control the things he said when he was around Komaeda? Either he was speechless, or saying things before he could think. “I mean, the things you’re saying now...they’re fine. It’s just when you start getting into all that stuff about killing each other, and talking about hope—that’s when it gets weird.”

“I see.” Komaeda knitted his brow a bit, thinking hard. “But I think it’s fine if I compliment you. You seem to like it a lot.”

_ What does that mean?! _ Had Hinata shown his excitement so openly without realizing it? Sure, he liked it. No one had ever lavished praise upon him like Komaeda did. Not even his own family. Even if it was Komaeda... “Doesn’t everyone like being complimented?”

“Sure. But don’t you think it’s a little weird, for you to enjoy praise from someone like me? You must really need it, then.” Komaeda sounded just like he did in the library, playing coy. It was unmistakable: he was flirting. “I get it. You’re self-conscious about your talent, because you don’t know what it is. I can understand that...I have a pretty useless talent myself. But I know you’re something special, Hinata-kun.”

“You keep saying that,” Hinata spluttered. “Why do you keep saying that? How do you know that I’m something special?”

“That’s easy.” Komaeda finally let go of Hinata’s legs, leaving warmth and the beginnings of an erection in his wake. Just as Hinata’s heart rate was starting to even out, Komaeda suddenly pushed him into the sand, putting his hands on either side of Hinata’s head. Hinata’s face heated up; he could feel the blood rushing into his cheeks. “The feeling I get when I look at you...this could only be love. Love for the hope that lives inside you.”

“...You’re messing with me,” Hinata deadpanned. “Yeah, you’re...messing with me. Alright, that’s enough, Komaeda. Get off. Get off of me, right now.”

“I know you told me to be a little more normal,” Komaeda continued, as if Hinata hadn’t said a word. He had that insane look in his eyes again, but Hinata still heard that cocky lilt to his voice, a teasing undertone. “But when I’m around someone like you, how can I help it? I know you feel it, too. Don’t you?”

“I’m not...what I feel is definitely different from what you feel. G-get off.” Komaeda had been holding himself up over Hinata before then, but as he continued to speak, he lowered himself until their lower halves were touching. Even through the damp material of their swim shorts, Hinata could feel Komaeda’s bulge pressing against his. Hinata heard the sand shift by his ears as Komaeda dug in deeper. As much as he tried to stop it, Hinata couldn’t help grinding his hips into Komaeda’s, if only to have him closer. 

Komaeda laughed. “But what you feel is similar enough, right? I want to worship the hope inside of you. You want me to show you what I love about you, show you what makes you special. I’ll show you everything I have, Hinata-kun. I’ll say whatever you want.”

Komaeda bore down harder, so that Hinata could feel how hard he was. Again, Hinata’s hips jerked upward. That time, he got a reaction out of Komaeda, a low groan. That sound brought Hinata to his senses and made everything real: they were definitely about to fuck each other. Or do  _ something. _ It was an uncanny idea, one he’d never before considered. Looking back, quickly, as his mind was racing, he realized that every time they’d made eye contact might have been building up to this.

If he was thinking clearly, he certainly would have considered the idea ridiculous. But Komaeda—he was pumping Hinata’s head full of so much confidence and praise and it was making him dizzy. He was getting harder as he got more acclimated to the feeling of Komaeda against him, wondering what it’d feel like to touch his bare skin.

Komaeda’s voice ran through Hinata’s head once more,  _ what would you have me do, _ acting as if he was at Hinata’s mercy but still being ever-so arrogant. Hinata hadn’t thought to give Komaeda a real answer before then, but his body was heating up and thrumming with excitement, and the only word in his head was  _ everything. _

In a brief moment of clarity, Hinata breathed, “We need to go to one of our cabins. Someone might come...”

“I don’t think I can wait that long.” He sat back a little bit, just enough for Hinata’s waistband to be within his reach. He was moving faster than Hinata could comprehend, untucking Hinata’s erection from his swim shorts with one deft hand. “Besides, if someone walked in on us right now, that’d be pretty unlucky, right? That’s not my style.”

“Koma—” Hinata cut himself off with a hiss. Komaeda’s hand was wrapped around him, squeezing and beginning to stroke. He threw his head back, flattened out in the sand against his will. “Komaeda!”

“To think someone like me can bring such pleasure to an Ultimate...to make an expression like that cross your face,” Komaeda whispered. “Guess I really am lucky.”

Komaeda was in no rush, his hand twisting and pumping with a lazy rhythm. It was nothing like what Hinata did in his room alone. It was gentle, borderline romantic. When Komaeda’s hand reached Hinata’s tip, a thin string of pre-cum got squeezed out, spilling over the head. That made the movements of Komaeda’s hand a little smoother, but it still wasn’t enough. Komaeda pulled his hand back—those few seconds leaving Hinata untouched were so excruciating—then spit in it. When his hand returned, it was slicker, a bit warmer.

Hinata was moaning low, under his breath, but it was hard to keep his voice down when Komaeda was stroking him with such expertise. Komaeda shifted above him, leaning down for what Hinata assumed would be a kiss. He shut his eyes right before Komaeda’s lips touched his. Just like his hands, Komaeda’s lifts were pillow-soft. Hinata wasn’t surprised by how forward Komaeda was. He opened his mouth without hesitation, and then Komaeda’s tongue was on his.

Again, Komaeda pulled away much too soon. Hinata opened his eyes again, and the obsessive look on Komaeda’s face jarred him. “You’re amazing, Hinata-kun,” Komaeda panted. “Intoxicating.”

As he spoke, whispering more meaningless praises—meaningless, but nevertheless effective—he took Hinata’s hand in his, bringing it to his own swim shorts. Hinata knew what to do right away, first feeling Komaeda’s hard-on through his shorts before slipping his hand in. “Like that?”

“Just like that,” Komaeda said, his voice dipping downward a little bit. “Maybe this is your talent?”

“Don’t even joke about that...”

Komaeda seemed a bit experienced with the way he was stroking Hinata. Hinata thought it’d be easy to jerk someone off, considering how often he did it to himself, but he felt a little clumsy at first. He was a bit less careful than Komaeda, more to-the-point and a bit frantic. Eventually, he eased up, mimicking Komaeda’s movements until they were completely in sync. “There you go. I’ve been thinking about this ever since I met you, Hinata-kun. I knew you’d be good for me, knew you’d be wonderful.”

Hinata’s cock twitched at the very idea of Komaeda, thinking of Hinata’s touch and getting hard off of the idea. For someone to fantasize about him, to even consider him worthy of wanting. Why was it even more effective to him, knowing how obsessive Komaeda could get? It frightened him, maybe even sickened him, but he was getting harder and more desperate in Komaeda’s hand.

Using the hand that wasn’t inside Komaeda’s pants, he took Komaeda by the back of his head, bringing him down for another kiss. Komaeda gave it up willingly, moaning a bit more openly once his sounds were muffled by Hinata’s lips. He was drawing even more scandalous noises from Hinata, eliciting an uncharacteristic whimper every time Komaeda tightened his grip near the head of his cock. Hinata was surprised by how pitchy and girlish his own voice could sound, surprised by how deep and sultry Komaeda could sound.

Knowing that every sound from Komaeda was for him, knowing that every roll of Komaeda’s body was due to pleasure that  _ he _ had caused, was a dangerous feeling. Hinata became somewhat addicted to it in the heat of the moment, wanting to hear Komaeda’s praise again. His wish was soon granted; Komaeda broke their kiss and went straight for Hinata’s neck, kissing away the water droplets there. Another hand went into Hinata’s hair, yanking his head back for further accessibility.

“I always knew you’d feel this good,” Komaeda insisted. “Since the day I met you.”

Hinata wondered if Komaeda ever touched himself to the thought—no, of course he did. It was an easy image to conjure up. Komaeda, laid up in his bed, a sordid laugh escaping his lips as he imagined laying hands on his favorite Ultimate. He’d take his time with himself, thinking of all kinds of different positions to worship Hinata’s body in. He’d make that gorgeous, blissed-out face, the one he was making above Hinata right then, then spend all over himself while imagining that he was finishing on Hinata’s face.

These were thoughts that, any other time, would certainly be too embarrassing and too degrading for Hinata to ever consider. But as Komaeda slowly but surely brought him closer to completion, he found that he’d lost all sense of shame, only thinking about letting Komaeda touch him and commend him.

“You’re perfect. So perfect,” Komaeda said, an awkward hitch in his voice. Hinata knew that tone too well. It was burned into his mind. “I’d let you do anything, Hinata-kun. If it were you who killed me—I’d die happy. So, so happy, knowing I could be the stepping stone to your hope. How can I convince you...?”

_ Don’t think about it, don’t listen, _ Hinata thought. But he was thinking about it, and he was listening, and he cared not for the words that Komaeda said, but the way in which he said them. The devotion, the  _ love...  _ “Komaeda, just a little...just a little more,” Hinata breathed, tightening his own hand around Komaeda’s erection—as incentive, perhaps.

“You already look so beautiful. So special, so handsome,” Komaeda continued, his voice trembling just a bit as he looked down at Hinata. Hinata didn’t even mind being stared at. He was soon shutting his eyes, arching his back against the sand and bucking into Nagito’s hand. He hadn’t even realized how clumsy his own handiwork had gotten until Komaeda urged, “Keep going, Hinata-kun. I’m almost there.”

Komaeda laid a few more feathery kisses on Hinata’s cheeks and neck, and he finally gave Hinata what he needed: frantic, rough strokes, ones that were quick and desperate but still skilled. Hinata sped up, too, and was surprised to feel warmth spreading over the back of his hand. Komaeda certainly hadn’t hid his excitement, though, so it made sense that he was rather sensitive to Hinata’s touch.

Even through his climax, Komaeda didn’t stop, fisting Hinata’s shaft with abandon. “Fuck, Komaeda,” Hinata said, shuddering. 

“That’s good. So good...”

Hinata’s whole body tensed then went limp, his cum-coated hand slackening in Komaeda’s swimming trunks. Soon he was painting Komaeda’s fingers just like Komaeda had painted his, rope after rope leaving his body feeling hot and filled to the brim with satisfaction. It felt more explosive than it did when he was by himself, like a feeling that he had no power to escape. And, really, he didn’t want to; cracking his eyes open and looking up into Komaeda’s smirking face as he orgasmed was an out-of-body experience, one that he’d live over and over again even if it killed him.

Once Hinata regained a bit of his strength, he started moving his hand again, trying to coast Komaeda through the remnants of his climax. Komaeda did the same, his hand moving a bit lazily. He was fixated on Hinata’s face, watching it until Hinata’s eyes shut—and probably long after.

After a few dragged-out moments, Komaeda remarked, “You’re pretty eager, aren’t you? Does that mean you want to go again?”

“I...I seriously can’t,” Hinata said. Admittedly, he was a bit pained to say that. God, would he ever experience that level of temporary insanity again? A level of madness where he was willing to let Komaeda fuck him on the beach, in the open, just so he could hear that demented praise? 

“Figured you’d be tired. Either way, I’m glad you let me do this,” Komaeda said. Again with the sudden switch to normalcy, an almost bashful demeanor. As if Komaeda Nagito had the right to act shy about anything. “Really, Hinata-kun, you’ve got more talent than you give yourself credit for.”

“Stop saying that. I mean it,” Hinata snapped.

Komaeda sat back, and Hinata was forced to withdraw his hand. He looked at the result of his efforts: Komaeda’s seed, all over his hand. 

Breaking Hinata out of his reverie, Komaeda said, “I’ll go get my shirt, if it hasn’t washed away yet. We can clean up a little bit with that.”

“...Right. Good idea.” Because Hinata definitely, certainly, absolutely was not considering licking it off. Of course.

* * *

Hinata was back to the same feeling of unease once they started walking back. Komaeda pretended like nothing had happened, although he did have a certain glow to his face. Hinata couldn’t help feeling like he was glowing, too—he couldn’t rid himself of any misgivings he had about Komaeda, but the pleasure he’d felt was enough to make him forget it, just for a little bit.

They reached Hinata’s cabin, then stopped in front of it. Komaeda had his soiled t-shirt thrown over his shoulder, a bit too casually considering what was on it. His hair was damp, but still voluminous and shiny. Hinata had always been drawn to looking at him, no matter how creepy he was. Coming to that realization after what they’d just done, the realization that Komaeda was objectively attractive, was a little...startling.

“It’s pretty early, still, Hinata-kun. What are you gonna do for the rest of the day?”

The sun was nowhere near setting. Still, Hinata wasn’t really thinking ahead, not when he’d barely managed to process what just happened to him. “I don’t know...a shower, probably. I guess I’ll hang out with someone around the island after that. How about you?”

“Well, you’ve certainly given me much to think about.”  _ What? What?! Is he going to go back to his room and just...think about what we did? _ “You know, about being a little more normal.”

_ Oh. _ “Right, yeah.”

“Although, when I really think about it...I think it’s better if I stay the way I am. After all, the kind of hope you possess goes far beyond normal, doesn’t it? So the amount of praise you get should be abnormal, too, right?”

“That’s—that’s not—”

“Besides!” Komaeda threw his hands up, all smiles and friendliness. “I think you really enjoyed it. I was only holding back a little bit, earlier, y’know. I’ve still got plenty of things I want to say to you. To do to you.”

“Could you  _ please _ keep your voice down? Please,” Hinata said, glancing around frantically.

“Ah, sorry. We can discuss it later. In a more private setting. But I’ve made up my mind, anyway,” Komaeda said, not sounding the least bit sorry. “I think you like me this way, Hinata-kun. It wouldn’t be fair of me to deprive you of all the praise you need! So, I’ll go back to how I was before, okay? Today gave me all the confirmation I needed: I’m definitely doing the right thing here.”

“Komaeda, you’re definitely getting confused. Earlier was just—I was just—”

“Bye now, Hinata-kun. You know where I am if you need me!”

Not leaving room for another word, Komaeda turned and walked to his cabin. Hinata was left dumb-founded, standing in front of his door. He felt just as unsettled as he had that morning. If anything, he was worse off, knowing he’d inadvertently fueled Komaeda’s lunacy. Komaeda had said he’d let Hinata  _ kill _ him, and he came in his hand just minutes later...

_ And I’d probably do it again. _

Hinata’s eye twitched. He couldn’t deny it. Komaeda was talented at more than being lucky. And there was so much they’d yet to do—what would it feel like to have Komaeda’s mouth on him, to have Komaeda inside of him, hearing that obsessive voice all the while? Oh, he’d definitely do it again.

It was starting to look like that shower needed to be cold.

**Author's Note:**

> *hands komaeda a hairbrush with a little ribbon wrapped around it* happy birthday. fix it please


End file.
